Feb. 20, 2015
AUBURN, Ala. - Auburn's men earned three bronze medals during Friday night's finals at the 2015 SEC Swimming and Diving Championships.
Hugo Morris, making his second appearance in a championship final in as many nights, earned his first individual SEC medal of his career by lowering his PR time down to 1:42.11 to take the bronze medal in the men's 200 fly final. The freshman became the first Tiger to medal in the event at the conference meet since Logan Madson set the school record and took third overall in 2009.
"It was great swimming from Hugo, especially being in this environment for the first time," Auburn coach Brett Hawke said. "I thought he's been outstanding all week."
Michael Duderstadt nearly took down the school record en route to earning bronze in the 100 breast final. The sophomore posted a 51.93 to third overall, becoming the first Auburn swimmer to break the sub-52 second mark since Adam Klein set the school record at 51.80 in 2009.
"For Duder[stadt], swimming for the first time under 52 seconds was huge," Hawke said of the sophomore. "I'm really proud of him and he's worked hard for that. There was a lot of good swimming tonight, but I think we overswam a bit in some of those races. Tomorrow we have to come back in ready to compete and be patient."
The freshman duo of Zach Warner and Jacob Molacek scored key points in the 100 breast final for the Tigers. Warner touched in at 52.74 for sixth, while Jacob Molacek tied for seventh overall with a swim of 52.76.
The men's 400 medley relay team of Joe Patching, Duderstadt, Morris and Kyle Darmody took home Auburn's final medal of the night, recording the nation's fourth-fastest time at 3:06.01 to place third overall.
Auburn got a fourth-place finish from Patching in the 100 back at 46.36 and Kyle Darmody claimed seventh overall, recording a 46.70. Josh Booth placed 21st overall with a time of 48.33 in Friday's C-final.
On the women's side, Annie Lazor took sixth in the 100 breast final at 1:00.15. The junior collected the third-best time in school history during Friday's prelim session with a 59.82. Natasha Lloyd was 15th at 1:01.24, while Beatriz Travalon earned a victory in the C-final with swim of 1:01.28.
Carly Scheper made her first career appearance in a championship final, taking seventh in the women's platform diving final. The junior scored 239.55 in the five-dive list final. Scheper nearly set a personal-best in Friday's prelims at 255.25 to earn a NCAA zone diving standard.
In the women's 100 back final, Jillian Vitarius' 53.65 earned an eighth-place finish. Sarah Reynolds placed 16th overall, clocking a 53.95 in the consolation final.
Alex Merritt placed 16th overall for the Auburn women in the 200 fly at 2:00.18, while Sarah Peterson won the C-final with a near personal-best time of 1:58.63.
The Tiger men head into the Saturday's final day of action in third place with 760 points, while Auburn's women are in sixth with 521 points.
The final day of competition begins Saturday at 10 a.m. with prelims for the 200 backstroke, 100 freestyle and 200 breaststroke. Men's platform diving prelims are set for 1 p.m. Timed finals for the 1,650 freestyle are slated to start at 2:40 p.m.
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Auburn Swimming & Diving Results
2015 SEC Championships - Day Four Finals
February 20, 2015
James E. Martin Aquatics Center
Men's Team Scores: Florida 980, Georgia 848, Auburn 760, Tennessee 687.5, Alabama 610.5, Missouri 549, LSU 420, Texas A&M 385, South Carolina 359, Kentucky 301
Women's Team Scores: Georgia 1082, Texas A&M 875, Florida 730.5, LSU 614, Tennessee 584.5, Auburn 521, Kentucky 499, Missouri 470, Alabama 403, Arkansas 320, South Carolina 308, Vanderbilt 137
Men's 200 Butterfly
3. Hugo Morris (1:42.11)(PR)
15. Arthur Mendes (1:44.98)
Women's 200 Butterfly
16. Alex Merritt (2:00.18)
17. Sarah Peterson (1:58.63)
Men's 100 Backstroke
4. Joe Patching (46.36)
7. Kyle Darmody (46.70)
21. Josh Booth (48.33)
Women's 100 Backstroke
8. Jillian Vitarius (53.65)
16. Sarah Reynolds (53.95)
Men's 100 Breaststroke
3. Michael Duderstadt (51.93)(PR)
6. Zach Warner (52.74)
T7. Jacob Molacek (52.76)
Women's 100 Breaststroke
6. Annie Lazor (1:00.15)
15. Natasha Lloyd (1:01.24)
17. Beatriz Travalon (1:01.28)(PR)
Women's Platform Diving
7. Carly Scheper (239.55)
17. Cinzia Calabretta (218.95)
18. Shanna Schuelein (217.80)
23. Morgan Mullins (204.90)
Men's 400 Medley Relay
3. Patching, Duderstadt, Morris, Darmody (3:06.01)
Women's 400 Medley Relay
4. Vitarius, Lazor, Fonteno, Purcell (3:34.58)
Auburn Notes (Day Four)
- Hugo Morris recorded the third-best time in school history with a 1:42.11 in the men's 200 fly championship
- Auburn's three finalists in the 100 breast championship final are the most for the Tigers since the 2010 SEC Championships
- Michael Duderstadt's 51.93 in the men's 100 breast final is the second-fastest time in school history
- Auburn's time in the men's 400 medley relay is the fourth-fastest in the event this season